PART 3 FINAL TROUGH MIRROR Parabolic Parabola Reflector Solar Water Heater

[davidvwilliamson]

if you made it from lots of layers of styrofoam it wouldn't distort under its own weight and would be much easier to support & aim. Also could you just stick in the mirror with two beads of glue along the straight edges?

[davidvwilliamson]

if you made some way of tracking a movie camera along the focus and also made some way of tracking altitude/azimuth (like one of those rockers you use to tip cars over?) you could create a movie of an enlarged image. You would need some way of combining all the movie into a single still image.

[carp1844]

What about adhesive velcro on the back instead of screws?

[vanderstelt00]

that was incredibly awesome! 

[mungomungleton]

how much hot water does this mirror generate?

[johnypc2008]

Hi Dan, Great job appreciate all your videos. Im guessing suppliers in the US supply you With product at a reduced rate which you then pass on. Pity Im in the UK as we tend to pay through the nose for stuff. That said I will be making one of these anyways. Keep up the good work. John. PS. Took your corrugated heat collector a stage further and build one out of Plastic UV laminated roofing sheet (Large type of 10mm coroplast) worked great No vids unfortunately.

[tex1965able]

Hi Dan. can be make it with home made fresnel mirrow for save space or needs a different plataform, more complicate to center the light

[warforlips]

or you can use an acrylic bit.

[warforlips]

To bad you didn't use treated wood. Now you have to treat it yourself, so it can be used outside for extended use...

[dragoncracker]

I would recommend drilling the holes with the protective layer on it still that way you don't mar the surface up

[Hamish121212]

Drill your holes in the acrilic with the drill in reverse. I think a bit of PVA in all the wood joints would make it strong.

[123gt]

how much water can a parabolic trough mirror like this heat?

[amommamust]

Love your stuff, but can you build a tripod? This video was a bit like the Blair witch project...

[lezbriddon]

or get mrs green power to hold the camera ffs! i feel sea sick!

[XSlayerALE]

Quetions:

1) Where Do I buy that acrylic Mirror?

2) How do you keep it clean?

3) How will you track the sun with such a big rig?

[patriotsundergod]

put your glue down on the frame and then place trash bags full of water on the mirror to force contact

[crob227]

double sided tar tape could have took the place of the screws.

[AcidRaZor]

I would like to see more videos on how you can determine your everyday power usage so that you can start going off grid... I know how many kw I use each month, but I don't know the pull our deep freezer has on the system when it kicks on etc...

Is there an easy way to hook something up to the electrical system to monitor this?

[GoatHollow]

The device you need to determine electrical usage of a deep freezer for example.... Is called a "Kill - a watt". You can find them on e-bay for around $20

[johnnecron]

a cordless soldering iron from radio shack would be perfect to melt little holes in mirro for you

[JokerTim76]

What do you do with all these mirrors with no sunlight

[breezebro]

Screw a sheet of Masonite down like you did the mirror and then glue the mirror to the Masonite with contact cement. No holes in the mirror.

[STARFIRESOLAR]

I would think that teh glue that you need to bond to acrylic actually melts it together. If you use that type of glue and it melts the reflecitve coating off the back of the mirror, you're screwed!

[RamoneTalarico]

great work!!! would love ot make use of that for my hot water needs hehe woudl save my electric bill like mad!

[videofeedbacktv]

Kudos!

[pixuma]

FWIW, glass bits work really well for acrylic.

great work!

how much does this size sheet of mirrored acrylic cost?

[GREENPOWERSCIENCE]

$210

[insAneTunA]

Nice Job !!

Greets, iT

[motters2001]

I wonder whether you could use something like this in combination with a long line of small solar cells. The cells would need to be away from the focal point so that they don't get fried. Another idea might be to use those thermoelectric units, maybe fixed to a pipe containing water to transport the heat away.

[jab0805]

Good job Dan. You do great work. Wish we were neighbors!

[XIHIX]

Magnet strips on the back of the acrylic man! Fcuk screws!

[GetMeThere1]

Beautiful looking mirror!

[mrbuki77]

How weather worthy is the mirror going to be? And since it is a untreated wooden frame, it may be wise to build some type of weather cover or treat the lumber to keep it from rotting. Hi from sunny FL.

[BeeRich33]

Where can I get the reflective acrylic? I'd love to build one of these.

[ironbord]

i also want to know where to get this acrylic?

[kchedville]

Lowes sells it....if you order a 4x8 sheet they will charge you Motor Freight , since UPS or Fedx cannot ship that size.

[pubtor]

i know who will survive 2012

[patnhat]

the longer the brace the stronger the frame

[pakscienceclub]

Very good work....

[Demoman42]

Nice work you did Dan :)

[chungsan1]

Very good job

[UKBB]

No one can claim you don't offer hands on instructions anymore.